Brea Preschool and Infant Center

CATEGORY

Preschool Ages 0-6

Preschool and Infant Center

HCS-Brea Preschool and Infant Center is located in sunny southern California, in the beautiful city of Brea. When you visit our small campus, you’re sure to notice a warm sense of friends and family. We currently serve approximately 170 preschoolers ages 6 weeks-6 years.

Our Infant Center provides care for babies ages 6 weeks old to 24 months old. In our Infant Room, teachers provide a loving, nurturing and safe environment while monitoring and encouraging appropriate development of each baby; emotionally, physically cognitively and verbally. We offer many experiences to foster their development and learning, and strive to help them achieve their fullest potential. We know that being separated from your baby can be difficult on both of you. It is our privilege to partner with you and do anything we can do to assist you in making this a joyful experience.

Our Preschool Program serves children ages two years old to six years old, and promotes the child’s spiritual, social, emotional, cognitive and physical development. We provide a remarkably challenging and comprehensive preschool program that fully prepares students in each of these areas for success at the next level. Equipped and staffed with qualified teachers to give the best possible care, our preschools provide a group setting in which the child can feel secure, learn to separate easily from parents, and interact with other children of the same age in group settings.

We provide a Christian atmosphere of respect and loving appreciation for each person and for the wonders of God’s world. Each child is encouraged to progress at their own rate toward enriched experiences, self-discipline, and the ability to make wise choices. Through age-appropriate, highly engaging and playful activities, babies and preschool students alike readily advance in all areas.

Our preschool is year-round. The traditional preschool year runs late August through mid-June. The summer session runs mid-June through August.

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Developmental Goals

1. Spiritual

To provide an atmosphere and program in which children can learn to live in a Christ-like way.

To stimulate the development of a love for others.

To foster a love of God and an understanding of the gift of salvation in Jesus Christ, both by teaching and by example.

2. Social and Emotional

To develop a positive self-image and a sense of self-acceptance within each child.

To provide an environment that will foster a sense of security within each child.

To help each child express their feelings and emotions in an appropriate manner.

To help each child develop a feeling of acceptance by their teachers and peers.

To help each child learn to accept change.

3. Cognitive

To develop the feelings of competency and satisfaction in the mastery of new skills.

To build a positive attitude toward his/her education for the present and future.

To help each child develop a sense of responsibility.

To stimulate the child’s curiosity and imagination and contribute to his/her development of ideas and concepts.

To encourage children to gain a deeper understanding and a greater awareness and appreciate of the world around them.

To teach the basic educational programs (science, social science, language, literate, numbers, letters, phonemic awareness, music, art and play) in a way that a preschool child can comprehend and learn.

4. Physical

To protect the health of the child and teach good health habits.

To provide a safe environment for the child to develop physically.

To provide an environment that encourages the development of large muscles and total physical health.

I am pleased to have you as part of our preschool family and look forward to working with you. I have been an educator for over 10 years. It is my passion and calling to be an educator, and there is no place I’d rather be!

Infant Program

Overview

Infants begin our program at many different stages. Their interests will be determined by what stage they are in. We have many different kinds of toys and activities in the room, including swings, large mats to crawl on, an activity garden, bouncy seats, etc. We also have hand toys such as rattles, balls, and soft squeaky toys and other noisemakers. All hand-toys are cleaned daily and rotated to ensure that the babies get to experience new activities. They also really enjoy going on rides in the wagon where they get to enjoy the great outdoors.

Development

We carefully hold, rock, and sing to our babies. We speak to them gently and constantly about the world around them. We explain to our babies what we are doing when we are out on a walk, eating, and changing diapers. We read books to them with big, bright colors and play different kinds of music throughout the day. We give them soft toys to hold and feel, and toys that make noise. The babies have a place to roll, scoot, crawl, and eventually begin to pull up to a standing position. Our comfortable, peaceful infant room provides a wonderful environment for baby’s proper emotional development!

Babies of this age are learning to: lift and control their head, roll from back to side, crawl, pull up, sit with support, clap hands, roll a ball, stretch out their arms to be picked up. They are also learning: hand-eye coordination, the pincher grasp using their thumb, to hold and shake a rattle, to drop and pick up toys, to transfer objects from one hand to another, and to take off their shoes and socks.

At this age, babies will: cry for assistance, recognize people by their voices, find objects that are hidden, discover their hands and feet, show interest in filling and dumping containers, point to body parts upon request.

Babies will communicate by: cries, grunts, facial expressions, cooing, sighs, babbles in various volumes and pitches, saying mama or dada, waving, beginning talking. With the constant care of our loving staff, babies will also begin playing games with teachers (like peek-a-boo) and playing with other children!

Spiritual Emphasis

One of the unique purposes and privileges of our preschool is to introduce children to the Bible and to the person of Jesus Christ.

In Academics Our goal is to present each academic topic in light of the existence of God. Our teachers are responsible for integrating the concepts being taught with biblical truth.

In Relationships Our teachers and staff are to demonstrate the love of Jesus to our preschoolers, parents, and one another. Our teachers and staff apply biblical truths wherever possible in all their interactions.

Scripture Theme Each year we chose a scripture theme that provides a unified direction for our chapels and lessons, and that we as a staff use to point our preschoolers and families to a relationship with the Lord. The theme is interwoven throughout the school year!

Parent Communication

Maintaining good communication with our parents is something that our preschool strives to do well. Our preschool uses all avenues available to inform our parents and keep the lines of communication open.

File Folder Each preschooler has their own file folder in which the preschool places important information for the parent. This might include things like the monthly newsletters, announcement flyers, and special notices. Parents should check their child’s file when they pick their child up.

Monthly Newsletters are sent home to inform parents of preschool happenings and curriculum.

Personal Phone Call It’s important to us that we never lose that personal touch with our parents. When appropriate and as often as possible, we speak to our parents directly. We always welcome our parents to call or stop by the office; it’s our pleasure to serve you and to see you!

Automated Phone Call On occasion, our preschool will send out pre-recorded messages from the director or other school staff concerning important preschool news. Our automated system will also be used to notify parents in the unlikely event of a school-wide emergency.

Email Parents who provide our school with their email address will receive their tuition statement via email.

Our Website is a source of information and communication where our Parents can find answers to many of their questions. Parents can download school-wide flyers, handbooks, forms, and monthly newsletters.

Infant/Toddler Reports Each day parents will fill out an Infant/Toddler Report, telling the caregivers what time their baby last ate and slept as well as give them any special instructions for the day. When the parent comes to pick their baby up, they will receive the form back with all of the day’s information completed. It will tell parents how and what their baby ate, how long they slept, and their diapering results for the day.

Licensing

Facility #304270611 – Infant Center

Facility #300603820 – Preschool

We are licensed by the state of California, Department of Social Services. The California Department of Social Services has the right to interview children and/or staff and has the right to inspect and audit childcare records relating to the operation of our preschool without prior consent (Title 22, 101200).

Preschool Details

Overview

At Heights Christian Schools we provide a remarkably challenging and comprehensive preschool program for children ages 2-6 that fully prepares students in each area of development for success at the next level.

Preschool-aged children are information seekers and explorers by design. They are constantly taking in information about our world as they strive for independence and autonomy.

Because preschool students typically learn best through play, our days are filled with investigation, exploration, and discovery designed to help each child reach their greatest potential in all developmental areas including: Language and Literacy, Math and Science Concepts, Creative Expression, Self and Community Awareness, and Large and Small Motor Development.

Biblical Integration

Children are instructed in the basic concepts of Christian belief and conduct, without a denominational slant. Bible instruction is not limited to a given time-period. Bible truths are integrated throughout the day as they apply, with faculty and staff leading by example. All children also attend chapel on a weekly basis. During chapel, the children sing, pray, and enjoy Bible stories and special speakers.

Learning Modalities

The Bible says that children are wonderfully and fearfully made. Each is unique in many ways, including the way that they learn. At Heights Christian Schools, we employ many techniques and strategies to ensure that we are meeting the needs of every student entrusted to us.

Some students are visual learners. These students learn best through demonstrations and opportunities to see. They often make lists, learn through descriptions, recognize sight words and often remember faces but forget names.

Some students are auditory learners. These students learn best through listening, and prefer verbal instructions. They enjoy dialogues, discussions and plays; they like to talk! These students often remember names but forget faces.

Some students are kinesthetic learners, and they learn best by doing. Energetic, these students prefer to do rather than to watch or listen. They often like to draw or doodle to remember, and generally do best when they are active.

Since every classroom is comprised of students with a variety of learning styles, our teachers endeavor to reach all learners by organizing activities around all of the different modalities. This results in students that are engaged, encouraged and learning to be successful in school!

Language and Literacy

From the moment they are born, children begin developing language skills. In the area of language and literacy development, our program teaches syllables, names of sounds and letters, words linked to content, new words, how to respond to questions, and how to have discussions and share ideas.

From the very youngest age, language development can be seen as grunts and coos are transformed into actual words and multiple word phrases. Our classrooms provide a language-rich environment that encourages each child’s progress toward achievement of key developmental milestones. The transition from toddler to little kid is an exciting time as vocabularies multiply and comprehension of words and sentences expand. Classroom experiences are designed to contribute to the development of each child’s listening, speaking, pre-reading and pre-writing skills. Once mastered, these skills contribute to success in all learning domains including vocabulary building, phonemic awareness and reading readiness.

Handwriting Without Tears

AT HCS preschools, we use Handwriting Without Tears from the Get Set for School’s Readiness and Writing curriculum. This is geared for our Pre-K & TK students.

Based on more than 25 years of success with the very popular Handwriting Without Tears, this program complements and expands our current curriculum designed to prepare young learners for school. Writing requires skills that are essential for school; physical, language, cognitive, social, and perceptual.

The Handwriting Without Tears uses music, movement and multi-sensory manipulatives to teach all the core readiness skills including pencil grip, letter and number recognition, number and capital letter formation, and body awareness!

Number and Math Concepts

Math instruction is vital in the early years of a child’s education. Children naturally use math, in very practical ways, even before they are able to describe what they are doing. They know, for example, that they have one mouth and two hands before they recognize 1 and 2. They know they want more even before they know the word “more.” As we actively engage with our children, we build on and elaborate children’s mathematical ideas, teaching them words and symbols for what they already know.

Our program provides activities that help children acquire critical early math skills. These activities are organized into five groups of related learning skills: Numbers and Operations: I Know How Many; Geometry: Places and Shapes; Patterns and Algebra: See It, Repeat It; Measurement and Time: Short and Tall, Big and Small; and Data Representation and Probability: We Can Show What We Know. Children receive the instruction and support they need to learn and reinforce skills, make connections, and play independently.

Science Concepts and Scientific Method

Science is part of everything young children do every day; children are captivated by the natural world around them and by physical events. Preschool age children are constantly investigating, experimenting, hypothesizing, exploring, discovering and learning how and why things do what they do.

At Heights Christian Schools, we use these opportunities throughout the year to nurture our students’ natural curiosity, wonder, and engagement with the world God made for us. By cultivating this sense of wonder, we help children to become scientific thinkers. Children can learn to use the scientific method in their everyday life. The questions that they ask about insects flying, making a shadow or mixing paints are transformed into hypotheses about their world.

As their cognitive abilities develop, students are increasingly able to advance their critical thinking skills, develop and test their own notions, and engage in multi-step, hands-on experiments both cooperatively and independently. The opportunity to communicate their findings, either informally in conversations or through the documentation of results, leads children to ask new questions and to continue the cycle of scientific investigation.

Festivities

Throughout the year, there will be many opportunities for the children to celebrate at preschool. Examples include a harvest celebration, Thanksgiving feast, birthday party for Jesus, Valentines party, Dr. Seuss’s birthday, Easter celebration, and more! Parent volunteers are always appreciated during these festivities!

Additionally, parents will be invited by their child on special occasions to join them at preschool. Examples include Mommy-N-Me (to celebrate Mother’s Day), Daddy-N-Me (to celebrate Father’s Day), and the Christmas Program (a chance for preschoolers to perform!). Please make every effort to attend these special events!

Licensing

Facility #304270611 – Infant Center

Facility #300603820 – Preschool

We are licensed by the state of California, Department of Social Services. The California Department of Social Services has the right to interview children and/or staff and has the right to inspect and audit childcare records relating to the operation of our preschool without prior consent (Title 22, 101200).

Snack Time

We provide a nutritious mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack that may consist of fruit, vegetables, crackers, granola, or other healthful food. Water, 1% milk, or 100% fruit juice is also provided.

Rest Time

Children in our full-day program have rest time daily, generally from 12:30pm-2:30pm. During this time, children have the opportunity to nap or rest quietly on their cot.

Ages

Babies in our Infant Program are 6 weeks to 18 months old. Within the center, the babies are separated based upon mobility.

In Preschool, students are grouped in classrooms by age: 2, 3, 4, and Pre-K. This helps ensure that the children are playing with their peers in a safe environment and also receiving the most age-appropriate learning opportunities. Preschoolers generally graduate to new classrooms after the end of the traditional school year (mid-June), and before the start of a new school year in late August.